


True Love Can't Be Forgotten

by Ciesa_wiie



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Identity Reveal, Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng Fluff, Blushing, F/M, Gentle Kissing, Kissing, Ladynoir | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Ladybug, Love Confessions, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Knows, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square, Miraculous Ladybug Spoilers, POV Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Plagg Cares (Miraculous Ladybug), Plagg Ships It (Miraculous Ladybug), Supportive Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Teen Romance, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:53:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21832492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ciesa_wiie/pseuds/Ciesa_wiie
Summary: It starts like a normal day with akuma fights and love problems,but when Marinette tell Chat Noir she loves Adrien, changes it to an unforgettable day.Because what Marinette tell Chat Noir makes his heart beat faster.All of the sudden takes his heart control instead of his brain.His heart choose to kiss his new love interest.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~But what happens when Marinette dream about Adrien being Chat Noir?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 7
Kudos: 91





	1. Afterwards Oblivio

**Author's Note:**

> It's not edited yet but I'll do it soon. (Every chapter but the last one)  
> Maybe put some details on
> 
> This is also my first story.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> -The chapters with a chapter name is edited-

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story is right after Ladybug says miraculous ladybug and everything goes back to normal.  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wordcount:1800

Adrien’s POV 

The first feeling I felt was forgotten. I felt like I had forgotten something important, but I didn't know what. When I tried to remember, my head began to hurt. I felt the electricity in my hands. No, on my hands or holding my hands? My hands were holding another pair. I opened my eyes slightly and saw it was Ladybug’s. 

My eyes met her bluebell eyes, I always got lost in. Our feet left the ground for a second, and we pulled our hands back.

I heard a girly voice but not really girly, just a bit. It was Alya's which asked: 

“Ladybug? Chat Noir?” 

She was standing next to Nino. They looked a little sad, but also happy at the same time, I didn't know why. I remembered why I was here on top of the Tour Montparnasse. Ladybug and I were in a fight with an Akuma named Oblivio. Wait, we didn’t defeat it, did that mean it still was terrorizing the city? 

I rushed to Alya and Nino, asked: 

“You haven’t seen a supervillain named, Oblivio, have you?” 

My eyes were wild. Thoughts ran in my mind about how many people there could be injured while we were passed out. But if we passed out why were we standing?

Nino answered: “You’ve defeated it already dude-”

Then Alya interrupted him, gave Ladybug and I a weak smile and replied: “Actually he was us...”

Surprised, we both said: “Oh, okay, pound it.”

Our fists connected, we stood like we always did. Our bodies away from each other, only our fists connected. 

I turned closer to Ladybug and teased: “We make a good couple, don’t you think? Otherwise, we wouldn’t have won again like we always do.” 

Ladybug groaned and placed her hand to her head and replied: “ We're a team, not a couple, don't start that again. I've already told you, I'm in love with another boy, besides this charming kitty act of yours was the reason, we became distracted and got into all this trouble in the first place.”

We both had our arms crossed, and I began to laugh as she didn't know why.

Then she said: “ That's right, laugh all you want.”

I took my hand on her cheek- it was burning -turned her head to Alya’s phone, so she would understand why I laughed.

“Hey, what are you doing?” 

She gasped as she saw the screen. Alya giggled and pointed where there was a picture of us two kissing. 

Shocked, she said: “ Everyone saw _that_?!”

I could fly right now from all the happiness there was inside me. She finally fell in love with me!

But I didn't think she felt the same as I did right then. She took her hands to her head and shouted:

“This is a disaster! What on earth happened!?” 

On the inside, sadness filled my body when I saw how mad and sad she was to find out that she had been in love with me, even kissed me. On the outside, I showed them my normal playful smirk while I said playfully: “Well, one thing’s for sure, we would make a good-looking couple,”

She looked at me like she could kill me, but I kept going. 

“We're meant for each other M’lady! You're the only one who doesn't see it.”

She gave me a mad face, but I loved it when she was mad. 

I heard her earrings beeped, and she looked at them.

She pulled her yoyo out, swang away while saying:

“This conversation is _not_ over!”

I looked after her, but she was already gone. I got nothing else to do, also kind of in a rush, because our school bus was waiting. I de-transformed and walked on the bus where everyone else from my class was. 

I took my seat when Nino and Alya came on the bus. 

They told us why they got akumatized and apologized. 

The school was over, because of the Akuma-attack, so I went on my way home.

_____________________________________________________________________

My head held into my hands, hurted like I never had felt before.

I felt progressive that I needed to remember what I had forgotten.

Plagg asked silently when he saw how I looked:

“Adrien, you seem down, what’s wrong?”

Plagg was concerned, that’s new. 

“Nothing big, I just feel like I need to remember something really important, I think it’s something with Ladybug.”

Even though Plagg was concerned, I didn’t want him to worry. Also, he probably didn’t know what I was talking about. 

“You can’t remember anything?”

His eyes met mine for the first time in a while.

“No, nothing.” Then it hit me. A wave of emotions drowned me from the inside. 

“Plagg! I just remembered something, it was about Ladybug.”

I tried so hard to remember more but nothing seemed to fit in my brain.

“Well, kid tell me!” Plagg almost yelled. Woah he is very mad now. Mad for me not on me. Woah two new things today.

“I thought you didn’t care?” I teased him as I knew he would get annoyed.

“I-I’m just curious….Are you going to tell me or what?”

Yup, he is concerned but won’t admit it because it would ruin his _‘Dangerous God Of Destruction_ ’ image. 

“Yeah yeah, I remember that I saw Ladybug in the elevator after we both got shot of Oblivio, and I saw you and another kwami, so that means I was together with Ladybug while she was in her civilian form! Can you believe it Plagg I found out who Ladybug was, but I can't remember!?”

The memory crashed over me. The elevator. My confusion. The beeping as our disguises fell. At last but not least, me falling in love with her at first sight once again. 

“Kid, it's the love of your life! You need to remember, Adrien. I will not let you give up, I've seen you fool around Ladybug for so long. You need to step up your game to get her!... Sorry, Adrien I just needed to let that out.”

He was yelling just like when there was no Camembert left in his mini-fridge I never used. 

“Ok ok I'll, but how?”

If Plagg was so eager to make me find out who Ladybug was, why couldn’t he at least help me while he is at it?

“I thought you knew that just gimme my Camembert, I'm starving!”

And here I thought Plagg was changing into a more helpful kwami but no he is still the same old Plagg.

“Fine, I knew you couldn’t help…”

Knew I got my hopes up too early, but still kind of disappointed. 

I walked to the mini-fridge, opened it and said loud and clear: “Plagg, you can see it isn’t empty, so why bother to ask me?”

“I never knew if I could get you to give it to me!”

He yelled back to me from the space between the couch and TV. Obviously tried to find the remote. 

“I’m not your slave, get it yourself!”

I yelled, annoyed from his behavior. He didn’t even bother to turn his head my way as he spoke!

“ _Fine_!”

He added extra pressure on the letter ‘i’, sounded like an annoyed teenager.

Huffed when he flew to the mini-fridge, found his Camembert and ate it in one piece.

~o~o~o~o~

It was time for dinner, and I ate it alone again. Though Nathalie informed me about how she scheduled the next time I could eat with him. I gave up on trying to get his attention a long time ago because I knew that I would never get it fully.

Nobody had time for me. Nobody seemed to care to use their time on me. Nobody-

 _Wait_ Marinette cared to use her time on me. Not as much as Adrien but as Chat noir. She had never been anything else than kind to me. Thinking about her, got me wanting to be with me. I needed company and what better company than _hers_?

Said the magical words, and my clothes switched from blue jeans, a black T-shirt with yellow, green and blue stripes and a white shirt to tight leather and a bell in the color gold. With the new hairstyle, I jumped my way to Marinette’s home. 

Jumped from rooftop to rooftop. Enjoyed the mild night breeze.

My eyes caught her pigtails from a long distance. The closer I got the more I saw of her. Marinette stood on her balcony, looking sad. 

A sad smile never fitted her, it wanted to make me see her happy smile even more than usual. Cat puns could always get a small giggle out of her, I said:

“Hello, purr-incess! A pleasure to see you here tonight.” 

I gave my bow and I always gave Ladybug. You might think it wasn’t right, but for me, it felt perfectly right. With my head bowed down, I gently took her hand up to my lips and placed a peck on it.

“Hi, kitty…” She looked away, not catching my gaze as I wanted to wink at her. It wasn’t like her. Something must be wrong to make her look like that.

“Are you okay, you seem down?” My voice was no longer flirty and smooth but gentle and concerned.

“I'm fine, don't worry.” I clearly heard the sadness in her voice. There was no point in trying to hide it.

“I know you're lying, it's all in your voice...Please tell me what's wrong, I'll help you.” I might be a superhero there was supposed to save the city from villains, but saving her day could make me happier than any victory from an Akuma.

“Okay kitty, you're my friend, so I'll tell you..” I _loved_ her nickname for me, but something about the word friend could make me shiver.

“I have fallen in love with two people, and I feel it's so wrong to love two. I feel like I'm cheating on my feelings for Adrien because he was and is still my first love.” Woah being in love with two people- _Wait in love with Adrien? That’s me. mygodmygodmygod_

_mondieumondieumondieu_

_merdemerdemerde_

As I was about to scream some other words in my head, her concerned expression made me realize I still was on earth. 

“You're in love with Adrien!?” It was my first question out of a million, but I don’t think she would want to answer too many, so one question at a time.

“Oh, didn't I tell you? Well, I am.” Why was she so relaxed? She just told me she loved me? _Wait no-_ She told _Chat noir_ she loved _Adrien_. 

“Do you like him because of his good-looking like all his fangirls?” I hoped- no- _wished_ she didn’t fall in love with “the other me” because I’m a model.

_I wished she wasn’t like all the other fangirls who thought I was eye candy and nothing more._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the first chapter of this book. 
> 
> §Edited§


	2. The Sudden Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wordcount:2645

Marinette’s POV 

As soon as I arrived from school, I saw that Alya had posted the picture of Chat Noir and I (as Ladybug of course) kissing on the Ladyblog. It was a disaster, thought I. My chances with Adrien was thrown into a million pieces because now he would like I was in a relationship with Chat Noir and if I confessed, I would probably tell him I was Ladybug at some point and then he would think I was cheating and- 

I gave myself a small slap on each cheek as I told myself to calm down. Tikki came up to my face and patted my cheek with her small paw. She told me with her high-pitched voice: “Marinette, Chat Noir has strong feelings for you, maybe when you lost your memory you fell in love with him? Couldn’t that be a possibility ?”

Me? Falling in love with Chat Noir? No. No way.

“And why would I do that?”

If Tikki thought it could be a possibility when I needed to know what she thought could make me fall in love with her.

“Oh come on, Marinette! Haven’t you ever thought if Adrien wasn’t there, you would have been falling in love with Chat Noir?”

Woah. Woah. Woah. Wait a minute. Was Tikki saying that I fell in love with Chat Noir because I had no idea who Adrien was?

“What!? Tikki! Are you saying that I’m secretly in love with Chat Noir?!”

I burst out in a shout. Maybe I was overeating? Nah, probably not. 

“Maybe?... I’m just saying that Chat Noir is not as bad as you think. Maybe you will realize that one day and fall in love with him.”

Really? She was urging me to fall in love with Chat Noir? And here I thought Alya was the biggest Ladynoir fan. I guess she got a competition.

“Tikki, I don’t want to talk more about it. It’s already enough that the whole city talks about it.”

I only needed to clear my mind. Tikki gave me an understanding nod, and it made me thank Master Fu again for giving me such a great kwami. I took her up into my hands and gave her a peck on the forehead. She smiled happily and flew over to her cookie jar. 

My feet moved by themselves up the ladder to my bed. Just there, I considered falling down into my bed and falling into unconsciousness. But I wouldn’t let myself fall into the urge. I walked up the ladder to the trapdoor and went to the railing. Here I stood in complete silence. This balcony could never let me down. It was always a place to let my thoughts run. My hands over the railing, and my head as close to the clouds as possible. I wanted to be lost in thought. I wanted to be caught by my daydream and stay there forever. Away from all problems and all worries.

The thought that kept bugging me, was that maybe Tikki was right? 

Maybe when I had no memory about Adrien, I fell in love with Chat Noir?

I mean he was kinda sweet and charming. 

_No! Bad_ Marinette!

Bad bad bad!

You can’t think something like that about _Chat Noir!_

My thoughts got interrupted by a certain someone jumping on my balcony. Speak of the devil. It was _Chat Noir._ It was like he came out of nowhere, or maybe it was just that I was so deep in thought.

“Hello, purr-incess! A pleasure to see you here tonight.” 

His flirty but gentle voice made my heart flutter. This was a feeling I was very familiar with, but it usually only happened when I was with Adrien. What’s with that?

He bowed and gave my hand a quick but loving kiss. My cheeks went dark pink and quickly looked away, so he wouldn’t notice my blush.

“Hi, kitty…”

Damn it, why did I just call him by his nickname!?

I shouldn’t begin to call him nicknames. I couldn’t help but let the word slid out between my lips. It felt so familiar calling him nicknames like when I am Ladybug.

“Are you okay? You seem down?”

His voice was no longer flirty, it was concerned and it made my heart flutter even more than before. _It was still honey-smooth though..._

“I'm fine, don't worry.” I didn’t want to tell him that I was thinking about whether I was in love with him or not. The thing was that I didn’t know what to believe. And call me crazy, but I believed most that it was true. I had fallen in love with Chat Noir. My partner. My friend. The person who had confessed his love for me endless times. Also, the person who was talking to me right now...

“I know you're lying, it's all in your voice...Please tell me what's wrong, I'll help you.” Maybe it was a good idea to talk to someone about it… But he might get the wrong idea. He could think that I was either crazy or that I was Ladybug. The second one would be the worst. But I also had another thing on my mind. It was about my feelings for Adrien. And him. _Chat Noir._ I had no idea what I felt for him. He was an enigma. A mystery. He had shown me so many different sides of himself, but I never found out which one was the _real_ him.

I could tell him about my confusion, my feelings and everything but him.

I couldn’t talk about him _with_ him. 

“Okay, kitty, you're my friend, so I'll tell you..” 

This thing with the nickname again! But now when I had called him it one time, why stop? Also, what was I about to do? Honesty? I had no idea.

“I think I have fallen in love with two people, and the problem isn’t only that, it’s also that I feel it's so wrong to love two people. I feel like I'm cheating on my feelings for Adrien because he was my first love.” 

I let the name Adrien slide out of my mouth before even noticing. Also, why did I just tell him that I was in love with two people?

I don’t even know if I am. But could I be?

“You're in love with Adrien!?” He seemed really surprised. Why was it so surprising? Over half of Paris was already in love with him, and that’s with the boys too.

“Oh, didn't I tell you? Well, I am.” 

I needed to play it smooth, act like it was nothing and when it really was everything.

“So you like him, because of his good-looking like all his fangirls?” What! Did he really think that? He was really thinking low of me now... He smirked, but at the same time, he looked disappointed like a piece of him just cracked.

“Noo! It’s nothing like that! I actually didn’t like him when we first met, because I thought he placed chewing gum on my seat. And when I ignored him he still gave me his umbrella and tried to be my friend. I never fell for him because he's a model, I fell for him because he is so kind, sweet, smart, generous, handsome, pure and has a heart of gold.” 

I sighed and looked dreamy at the stars. Finally letting my feelings out where one of the best relieves I have ever had. I knew Chat Noir had a special place in my heart too, but letting my feelings for Adrien out was better than I ever could have imagined, and I hadn’t even been talking to _him._

My eyes moved to Chat Noir, tears ran down his cheeks. His eyes dripped with tears. His walls, the walls that held him up, made him strong and collapsed. Moment by moment, they fell. Salty drops fell from his eyes to his chin, ever so slowly. 

“Are you okay, kitty? Did I say something wrong?”

Oh no, why was he crying? Did he want compliments too or was it something else?

“N-no, it was just so sweet of you… ” 

Sweet? He was crying because what I said was sweet? 

He was now trembling, not harshly but shaking unwillingly. 

“I mean it was very touching…” 

His words were meant as an excuse but he could never fool me.

Touching? Really? Woah, Chat Noir must be very sensitive then. But seriously, what’s up with him?

Looking at him made my mind run in millions of different directions.

His tears were raw. Everything, raw tears, raw emotions.

He looked into my eyes, and I noticed that his eyes were the most beautiful emerald green. 

Had his eyes always been this beautiful?

We leaned closer, now we were so close that I could feel his breath on my lips. 

Not knowing when it happened my lips were suddenly locked with Chat Noir’s, kissing him. The start of the soft touch sent a strong feeling of warmth spiraling through my system. My eyes closed fearlessly, but the closure didn’t let me see darkness, it instead created colors of fondness. My tense nerves soon began to relax, my troubles, my confusion began to melt away, and the surroundings began to disappear leaving only me, me and Chat Noir.

This felt true. This felt good. This felt right. 

His lips felt so gentle so warm, she felt her hands begin to slide up his chest and encircle his neck, as the kiss began to grow heavy. Chat Noir’s hand slid off her face and tightened around her waist. She continued kissing him hungrily wanting more. But by the want, an annoyed voice said in her head: “So, you’re giving up on Adrien so easy? Huh? Just because you know Chat Noir feels something for you? You’re weak!”

_You’re weak!_ It resonated and stuck in my mind as I stumbled back, trying to control my breathing. I looked in front of me and saw the blonde superhero almost repeating my actions. 

Our lips had touched, and they fit perfectly together like a puzzle. It felt magical, his lips were so soft and sweet and I could die on the spot to taste them agai- 

Stop yourself, Marinette! I mentally slapped both of my cheeks, trying to focus.

I shouldn’t even have kissed him in the first place, because I will always, _always_ love Adrien more.

Chat Noir’s smooth- no _just_ his voice interrupted my thoughts.

“I-I think I should get going. Until we kiss- meet again, _seeyoulaterbye_ !” He stumbled over his words, and it made me wonder if it was me who made him a nervous _and_ stuttering mess. Yet the darkness took over his shadows and he was gone, without even letting me respond. 

~o~o~o~o~

I had walked off my balcony and into my bedroom, but the feelings there appeared not in my balcony as I wanted them to. These feelings followed me, and it was all I _didn’t_ want.

Over on my desk, Tikki sat with an unusual grin on her lips.

Her voice mocked me like never had been mocked before: “So, you finally fell for the cat?”

Her small eye made a wink, and the red color blushed up in my cheeks.

“What? Tikki! You know I love Adrien! B-but Chat Noir...”

Before I knew it, I let out a dreamy sigh and my thoughts were back on Chat Noir.

“I knew it! You have always liked that cat, huh?” 

And here I thought Tikki was on my team and shipped Adrienette… 

Well, you learn something new every day. But I wasn’t going to learn about these mixed feelings for Chat Noir, and Tikki shouldn’t even try to mix up my feelings more than they already were.

“NO! I mean maybe… ?” Her question belled in my head. Have I always liked that stupid, annoying,..flirty, sweet, caring and handsome Kitty? What am I thinking he isn't handsome! Only a little… And only because he has the same features as Adrien… 

“...Yes?”

My words came out as a question which it probably was. 

“And you also finally admit it! This day gets better and better!” Tikki jumped in the air of excitement. I only told her I liked him _a bit,_ and now she was acting like I agreed to marry him. I had no power to stop her as she hugged my cheek out of pure kindness, so I closed my mouth and walked to the bed. 

I laid on my bed and tried to fall asleep, but I couldn't stop thinking about Chat Noir and our kiss. One question staying in my mind as I fell to sleep. 

Is my love for that Chat Noir beginning to be bigger than my love for Adrien?

~In Marinette's dream~

The night was dark, and it was only the light from the moon and the Eiffel Tower which led us the way.

Chat Noir was by my side, and an Akuma was about to be defeated. I heard Chat Noir call his Cataclysm and suddenly the akumatized object was ash. A purple butterfly flew up, which my yoyo caught in no time. My usual magical words were said: “Bye-bye, little butterfly,” and the purple butterfly turned white.

The lucky charm had been used, and I only needed to throw it unto the air, up to the sky: “Miraculous Ladybug!” 

Chat Noir’s silence was over, and he came into my view with a flirty compliment as always: “We won again thanks to my beautiful and gorgeous partner.”

His compliment came with a wink and two-finger guns. 

I replied with an _almost_ teasing voice: “ Save the compliments to next time, I am going to transform back, and you wouldn't like to see that, bye!” 

I shot a wink back and gave him a salute. As I was about to swing away, something caught unto my wrist. I looked up and saw the familiar electric green eyes. His expression was now serious and his voice firm and knowing what it wanted:

“You can't leave, I need to find out who you are.” 

His arms appeared around my middle and he pulled me into his embrace. So close that I couldn’t find any sign of escape. My body was locked to his, and it felt strangely comfortable.

His words moved to smooth out between his lips, and now they were also gentle and caring. 

“I need to know. You're the love of my life, and I'll never let you go!” 

His voice trembled slightly, but in the end, it was confident again.

“Chaton, I want to know who you are too, but Master Fu told us not to reveal our identities. It could be dangerous.” 

My words were dangerous, but they weren’t as reckless as his. I moved closer to him, even though it seemed impossible from the position we were in. My arms found his upper back, and I trailed my fingers back and forth, trying to calm him down. He relaxed into my touch but without stopping his speech: 

“If you want to know who I am, I don't care about what Master Fu said or will say, I'll show you! Plagg! Claws in!” Surprised by his actions, I pulled back. My arms fell to my sides and my jaw went by the floor. I couldn’t believe my own eyes. At the spot Chat Noir stood a few seconds ago, now Adrien stood in his place.

* * *

Screaming and sweating, I woke up from my dream. My mind which was in dreamland seconds ago floated now with confusion at this very moment.

Was my subconscious trying to tell me Adrien was Chat Noir! Or was I just going crazy because I was in love with them both! 

_After all, it would be too good to be true._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think about Marinette's dream?
> 
> Comment down below to let me know!
> 
> §Edited§


	3. Figuring It Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wordcount:3550

Adrien’s POV

My eyes glued to the ceiling, and my thoughts ran free. Even though it was over an hour ago I arrived from Marinette’s balcony, I still couldn’t fall asleep. It was her that kept me awake, I knew that, but what I didn’t know was that why? 

Why was she controlling my thoughts and invading both my soul _and_ heart? It was like it all happened in slow motion. My heart beating. My arms holding. My lips moving. _Against_ hers. 

I fell back against my soft bed with a groan. Why was _this_ happening to me?

I already was in love with one person. Two wasn’t my plan. It was wrong to be in love with two persons, everyone knew that. _So how did my heart not know it?_

My gaze fell over to my alarm there stood at 11:50 pm. It was almost midnight, and I still couldn’t fall asleep. I had to wake up very early, so my usual “bedtime” -That my father ‘decided’ for me- was 10 pm. I would probably look like a zombie tomorrow if I didn’t calm down soon. With a thump, I landed back down on my bed. Closed eyes and trying to stop my thoughts from running wild and free. 

Apparently, I had no chance against my mind, and without thinking it through, I let them / _her/_ take over my mind.

The first thought which hit me was that I couldn’t _believe_ I kissed Marinette.

She had been oh so innocent, and then I appeared out of nowhere with my lips pressing against hers. She had told me that she loved Adrien. _Adrien!_

I wasn’t him at the time, I knew it, but at that moment I didn’t seem to care. 

At that moment, the only thought there invaded my insides. Her lips. Her damn sweet, pink and _soft_ lips. It was the only thing on my mind. Nothing could replace that thought. And that was when I realized I was going to spend the whole night thinking about it. 

Unconsciousness took over faster and faster, and soon I was in dreamland.

But right before sleep took over me, my last thought ran through my head.

_She kissed me back as Chat Noir and not Adrien._

~o~o~o~o~

I woke up to the most annoying sound. It was my alarm. I thought that I had never hated it as much as I did today. Darn alarm…

Swinging both feet out of the bed while yawning. Even though no one watched me I still placed my hand over my mouth to cover my yawn. I made my way across the room to the bathroom as Plagg flew to my side. He had gone up from his usual place on the pillow and now was on his way to start annoying me from the beginning of the day. I sighed for myself. Ever since I became Chat Noir, I never got to have a quiet morning ever again. From that day I waved goodbye to quiet mornings. 

My black flying cat kwami interrupted my thoughts as he came with a remark. 

“Hey, Kid, how was your girlfriend last night?”

The sound of his voice was teasing and mocking in the most insulting way. I turned around to meet his eyes, and I appeared to be in shock. He wiggled the eyebrows I never knew he had with a smirk forming on his face.

The heat came to me like a wave or you could say there suddenly appeared a heat wave. My cheeks went pink and switched to crimson in no time. 

“I-I-” I had no words left, and my breath had seemed to disappear. _My girlfriend._

Plagg said she was my girlfriend.

No, she wasn’t my girlfriend, and I definitely shouldn't have dreamed about her being it.

I had to wake up for real now, it was time for school in less than an hour, and I had a lot to do. That meant no time for daydreaming.

Pulling myself together, I said: 

“Plagg, I have told you before she isn’t my girlfriend.” 

I had tried to brush my blush off but without luck. Maybe that was the reason Plagg made a grimace as he responded. I was sure he didn’t believe me, but I simply had no time for it. 

Rush.

That was the thing I had to do now.

So that I did.

Running across the room to pick out my clothes and slipping it on while running further wasn’t a good idea. That was probably why I didn’t find it unexpected when my foot stepped on the end of my pants which made me land on the floor. 

My head collided with the gray floor, and a groan escaped my mouth.

Why was I so unlucky all of the sudden? 

I fixed my clothes and went to get breakfast. Nathalie stood ready beside the table with her usual tablet/iPad, typing something down on it. My breakfast was on a white plate, standing sharp with the cutlery and a glass of water. I pushed the chair out from the table and sat down. Eating my breakfast quietly as Nathalie informed me about changes in my week schedule. I thanked her for the food and made my way back into my room. 

The clock was thirty minutes to eight as I got toothpaste on my toothbrush and started to brush my teeth. In the cabinet, I found the hair wax that I used every morning for my hair. Ten minutes was used on setting it perfect, but it wasn’t much of a surprise, because I always used about ten minutes. With a couple of weird grimaces, I finished in front of the mirror. From the bathroom sliding the door open to my room, I walked while looking at the clock one last time. With one hand, I grabbed my bag and slid it on my right shoulder. 

Everything was done, and I was ready to take off to school. It seemed so much like a normal morning that you could even fool me if you wanted. Nothing was unusual, and it was only inside of me that knew the lie. Yesterday made _today_ unusual. 

And nothing could change that.

The Gorilla was ready to drive when I got in the car, and he made no waste of time to _not_ speed up. The drive seemed shorter than ever as I suddenly found myself staring at the school. 

I shook my head to stay focused and walked calmly up the stairs. My feet neared the classroom, and it made my breathing become heavier. The door opened with help from my hand pushing it, and the first person my eyes fell on was Marinette.

Seeing her eyes, made the thought that had been bugging me since it happened appear once again. 

_For under ten hours ago were my lips moving against hers._

Also, it didn’t make it better that we made eye contact and she blushed. _Blushed!_

For some strange reason the red color seemed to creep up my cheeks too.

My eyes were still connected with Marinette's while Nino greeted:

“Sup, Dude!” He bumped his fist with mine as the words rolled out his mouth. My eyes were on him at the time, but they already missed looking into the crystal blue ones, I had spent the night dreaming about.

“Hey, Nino.” I quickly greeted back but without the same energy as him. 

My gaze moved back to Marinette, and I greeted her as well. 

“H-hey Marinette.” Oh no, that didn’t happen. It had only happened once, and it was with Ladybug while I was Adrien. Not one of my best moments.

This couldn't be the same reason, but why am I stammering?

“Hey, A-Adrien.” She greeted back with her stuttering sweet as honey voice. Our eyes never left each other, and for others it might have seemed awkward, but this was comfortable and loving silence. 

Her sapphire-ocean eyes were incredibly beautiful. I had never seen some of a kind. They were only to be lost in, I told myself. So beautiful. So familiar. Wait, I have seen those eyes before. On the other hand, they look exactly like Ladybug's. 

There was no chance I could be wrong, because I had been staring into those ocean eyes from day one. But could it be?

If my theory was true, I would probably die from happiness... or depression. Because what if she didn’t want anything to do with me?

Right now, I shouldn’t be worrying about that. Right now, I had to find out if my theory is true and I had the perfect plan in mind for that.

While my thoughts ran loose, both Marinette cut eye contact and walked to her seat. Nino had sat down too, and now I was the only one standing. I hurried to sit down as our teacher walked into the classroom. 

Miss Bustier greeted us and the lesson started. The day was normal. Almost too normal for my liking. It was like I wanted something to happen but what?

Lunch was like usual. Small chit chat here and there. Alya and Nino shameless flirting. It could be like bumping shoulders and afterwards whispering in the ears which always left at least one of them blushing. Usually Nino… 

The next lessons were fine but boring, nothing _happened._

Finally it came to the end of the day and we had Miss Bustier again. 

This was the moment I had waited for. Now _please_ , let it happen.

The ginger teacher walked in front of her desk said:

“Hello class, today we are started with going in pairs, so find a partner.”

Oh perfect, this is easier than I thought. Miss Bustier was doing all the work and now I just had to-

Alya turned in her seat, looking at her best friend. They shared a smile while Alya began talking. “Hey, girl, will-” I rushed around in my seat, almost slamming my body in their desk as I cut Alya off and said quickly and smoothly or at least I tried to sound smooth. 

“Will you be my partner, Pri- _Marinette_!” I mentally cursed, because I almost exposed myself by calling her by my personal nickname for her. I deeply and innerly hoped she didn't hear it. 

“Y-yeah sure, A-Adrien.” Perfect! 

She said yes, now I have the chance to get to know her better and maybe I can find some hints in her room. Like a sign or clue to that she has a kwami. If her kwami is like mine, then maybe only maybe I can smell the stinky cheese. I really hope her kwami isn’t like mine… 

I quickly formed the best smile unto my lips and asked:

“I thought we could go home to you and work on the project?” 

As the words floated out of my mouth, Alya and Nino began to move to the door.

Their laughter made me back to reality and look at the girl I just asked if I could come home to.

“Oh, actually, I just thought I could see your home since you already have seen mine?” Oh no. How can I tell her it has to be at her house? Oh yeah, I could probably just say: “I need to see your room, because I have a theory about that you’re Ladybug, and I’m Chat Noir and in love with you, so yeah I have to see your room!” Nope, not going to happen.

I just have to come up with an excuse. That isn’t difficult, just another lie… or not a full lie. 

“E-eh, my father is quite strict and doesn't allow me to have guests.” 

It is half true after all. He is strict, and he didn’t allow Nino to come over. I didn’t even notice that a sad smile replaced my cheerful one. 

“Oh, I'm sorry Adrien, I didn't know...We will be going to my home then.” 

Her hand was about to reach my shoulder, but something stopped her, and she gave me a hopeful smile instead. My eyes connected with hers again, and automatically I smiled back. Her smile reminded me of Ladybug's…

~o~o~o~o~

When we walked to the block Marinette lived, I couldn’t help but think that if I was sure about her being Ladybug, we wouldn’t have walked with our hands separated. 

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the old fashioned doorbell which hung above the door.

I heard Marinette’s sweet voice greeting her parents while I just stood awkward not knowing what to do. Should I go up to them and greet them as well? Or maybe wait?

Before I made a decision, Tom approached me with Sabine following.

“Hello, Adrien, nice to see you again!”

His hand collided with my shoulder which was followed by a slam sound. And a sore shoulder…

Sabine peeked over her husband’s shoulder as she remarked: “Marinette talks a lot about you, it's about time she brings you over!”

The only thing I could do was stand awkwardly and blushing. I now knew that she had a crush on me, but talks a lot to her parents? That was… I don’t know. More than a crush?

I turned to the petite girl who was crimson from the tips of her ears to her shoulders. She shook her head slightly while replying: “Mom!”

Her mom just chuckled and smiled. It made me realize how lucky Marinette was to have a family like this.

After thirty seconds or so, I figured that I had to say something and the only thing there came to mind was: “I'm actually here, because Marinette and I are working on a project together, but I would love to hang out more.” I turned to Marinette, and before I got to stop myself, I found myself winking at the little blue-haired girl across me. 

Jesus, I just confessed that I wanted to spend more with her AND winked at her. 

The couple behind us sighed endearing which made a new expression appear on Marinette’s face. Her lips were forming a big smile which looked a bit fake. 

Why would she fake a smile? 

Did I do something?

Perfect, Agreste! You just creeped the shit out of your future _wife_!

By winking at her! 

I had to make her feel comfortable with me but how?

Maybe I could just ask to see her room? 

That wouldn’t be too pushy, right?

“Hey, could we go to your room, it’s been a while since I saw it?”

Her parents were already gone back into the kitchen which made it only us in the room.

I didn’t know what would have happened if I didn’t say anything, but it would definitely have been awkward. 

Her gaze had been on the kitchen door before I talked, but it quickly turned to me, followed by a startled expression.

“Yeah, sure.”

I could see that she was trying to talk without stuttering, and this time with luck.

When we began walking near the stairs, she suddenly jumped and asked nervously:

“A-Adrien, can you wait for her for a second? I need to do something quick.” She looked everywhere _but_ my eyes.

“Sure, you can just call on me when you’re ready!”

I really hoped it wasn’t something about me there made her want to get up in her room before I would.

“Yeah.” With that, she rushed up the stairs, almost tripping on them.

Maybe her room was a mess, and she wouldn’t want me to see it?

Whatever it was, it was something there had her run. 

For the next minute or two, I wondered what she needed to do.

Then two minutes had past I heard my favorite voice:

“Adrien! You can come up now.”

I still stood by the end of the stairs, but I could clearly see her head tit out of the door to her room.

“Ok!” I walked up the stairs and smiled at her while she held the door for me to walk in. 

As I walked into her room I looked around remembering the things I had seen before and memorized the things I hadn’t.

We walked further into her room and sat down on her office chairs in front of her computer, but instead of looking at the computer we looked at each other.

It made me think once again that if I was sure that she was Ladybug we wouldn’t have been sitting this long apart. 

“So do you like pink, since you chose to paint your room pink?” 

I didn’t want awkward silence, so I chose to start the conversation before we almost got to sit down. Don’t judge me! I was nervous!

“Y-yeah, it's my favorite color.”

Her voice was insecure, and her eyes fluttered around on me. 

Though, she looked around her room as I tried to see if her room really hadn’t a spot with no pink.

“What do you do when you don't sketch designs?” 

I changed into a more comfortable position and was suddenly sitting like a cat. Both my legs up on the chair. My left leg is placed in a triangle pointing to the left. My right foot is placed in front of my left ankle. My right leg sitting up with the knee pointing up, so my albue could reach it and rest on it. With my chin placed into my right hand like a spoon, I listened to Marinette’s reply.

“E-eh, I don't have a lot of time, because I… help… my parents… in the bakery!”

A few times in her sentence, she stopped up to think which made me realize she was lying. Like, who would have to stop and remember that you help your parents? 

Not me… 

The tips of her ears were burning more and more with the seconds pasting, and they exploded when I leaned closer. My feet were at the ground again as I rolled my chair closer to her and looked deeply into her eyes.

“Are you lying?” My voice was awfully playful, and I used the voice I flirted with Ladybug as Chat Noir.

“Pfft, no!” 

Her cheeks were red too now, but she tried to brush it off like it was nothing. Her small loose locks of hair there was in front of her forehead was flipped to the side and brushed behind her ear. A sign of nervousness, I thought to myself.

“If you say so...” I let it be, because I knew she didn't want to say her identity out loud to anyone if she was Ladybug. 

I only have one sign now, she could still not be Ladybug. The sign was that she was lying about the reason why she didn’t have time. 

But I needed more signs than one to be sure. I could just imagine if it wasn’t her. 

Woah, I would be in real trouble.

I leaned back again, and her normal skin colour seemed to appear on her skin again. Before I knew it, the conversation floated by itself, and then I knew there wouldn’t be a chance for awkward silence. I never knew that I would have so much fun with Marinette by only talking. After a while, we decided it was time to start working on the project, and it went out amazing. We really were a great team, and I was 100% sure that we would get an A+. 

~o~o~o~o~

“I really enjoyed your company, we should definitely hang out more often, Mari!” 

Oops shit, I gave her a nickname without asking!

The thing I didn’t know was that a certain girl was blushing.

“Sorry, can I call you Mari?” Before she got a chance to answer, I quickly added: 

“It’s okay if you want me to or don’t like it!”

My eyes were running wild but stopped up a second to notice that the girl across me was blushing. _She was blushing, because I gave her a nickname_

I felt my cheeks burning up too, and suddenly my whole body was on fire.

“Y-yeah, of course you can.” I looked in her eyes and it was like I saw them smile or at least glowing from happiness.

“And yes we should hang out more, I enjoyed your company too, Adrien.” 

In that moment, I fell in love with the glow in her eyes and I knew that I would be living to keep that glow burning.

Our eyes connected and it was like our souls collided too. If I tried to look at anything around us, I knew there was nothing, because everything around us had disappeared. 

It was just us. I felt myself being pulled closer and closer. My eyes were only on hers, and my body moved by itself. The closer I came the louder became my breathing or was it hers? I couldn’t figure it out -we were so close- but at the moment I was also not caring. Finally my eyes shifted from her eyes to the place I wanted to plant my lips, but I knew it wasn’t fair for either of us. Instead of kissing her lips, I leaned over and kissed her cheek.

_Even if she wasn't Ladybug, I definitely had fallen for her._


	4. Invited Into The Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wordcount:4744

Marinette’s POV 

Here, I was standing with no breath left. My last breath had been stolen minutes ago, and I still couldn’t move. It was like every muscle in my body wasn’t working anymore. Of course, my eyelids were blinking. They had blinked a lot at the moment, but else than that, was I frozen. It was strange because the insides of me were in full activity. My brain was running a lot of thoughts through my mind. My heart was beating faster than ever. So fast that my lunges almost couldn’t complete its teamwork in the same tempo as it. My heart was going crazy or rather I was going crazy. My blood rushed through my veins as it floated its way to my cheeks. They were already red and had been in some minutes now. 

It was unbelievable. My body was reacting like this for only one reason. I _knew_ it.

It was all because of that stunt he pulled. His breath had been so close that I couldn’t even figure out if it was his breath or mine. His eyes had looked at me like I was the most precious thing in the world. It was all I had ever dreamed of and more. The lighting was perfect because my eyes were only focused on him. Nothing had mattered. Only him. It was just when I thought his lips would be on mine, they were planted on my cheek. Sure, I was disappointed, because I was so close to my goal, but I might also have expected too much. Even though I wanted a real kiss, my cheek was still satisfied with feeling his lips against it. They were softer than I ever had imagined, and I was never going to wash that place he kissed. Ever.

Adrien and I had walked down the stairs, and then all this with the kiss happened which made me stay here frozen like an icicle from Antarctica.

I was supposed to see him out, but then all these thoughts came over me, and now he is probably waiting on me.

These last two days have been crazy enough for me. It started with finding out that I kissed Chat Noir as Ladybug, and then I told Chat Noir my feelings for Adrien as Marinette, and he kissed me, and now this! 

Oh my. I was rambling inside my head. I didn’t even think that was a thing you could do, but today there were a lot of things I thought were impossible which turned out to be possible. 

For example, today when Miss Bustier told us to found ourselves a partner, Adrien asked me to be his. It _even_ looked like he was pissed on Alya when she was about to ask me. He had also shown oddly much attention to me from the start of the morning. Like the way, he smiled at me when he walked into the classroom. It wasn’t like the other smiles he gave me. It felt like this smile was different but in which way, I had no idea about it. Maybe he just had a good night's sleep? 

Deep inside, I knew that I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed to not be the person who made his smile brighter. But if you loved someone, wasn’t it their job to at least try to make the person happier?

That was a thing I have always believed in. Making people happier and especially the loved ones. 

That’s why I felt so miserable when Adrien told me his father didn’t allow him guests.

At that moment, a lot of thoughts ran through my head, but the most important still stayed in my head.

_I had to invite him into our family._

I knew his father wasn’t the nicest person, even though he still was my idol because of the things he has created. “Adrien is the best thing he has ever created though,” my inner voice responded eagerly but also silently. I locked its mouth with an imaginary key and threw the key away after. 

It wasn’t the time to dream about Adrien, but I almost couldn’t resist. There were two reasons why I couldn’t resist. First, Adrien had shown me a lot of attention, maybe more than friends should. Second, he told me that he wanted to hang more out with me!

_{Mini third, he winked at me!}_

Only thinking about hanging out with him made the butterflies in my stomach flutter. 

But the butterflies seemed to slow down their actions as a new thought ran through my mind. 

_The way Adrien winked at me reminded me of Chat Noir’s wink._

I didn’t know why, but I had always been good at remembering small actions from people. This wink was one of the things I remembered, and as strange as it sounded I was really beginning to compare Adrien with Chat Noir and the opposite.

Could it be because of my kiss with Chat Noir?

No, why did I just remind myself of that? 

In my mind, I placed a lot of pressure on “no” and made it sound like a prayer.

I should stop thinking about Chat Noir, especially now when Adrien might have begun to see me as more than a friend. 

Maybe my subconscious was just teasing me again?

Just like that dream I had last night.

No! I didn’t want to think about it anymore. I should be thinking about something easy to understand, not Chat Noir who was so very difficult to read and made his thoughts impossible for me to picture. 

Picture?

Didn’t that remind me of something?

Oh no, not that… 

~o~o~o~o~

It was exactly like when he came to practice his skills at Ultimate Mecha Strike III for the tournament. My whole room was full of pictures of Adrien. Pictures from his magazines, pictures I had sneaked to take and pictures from the internet such as Alya’s Ladyblog or from some of his fan blogs. I know, I know. I sounded like a freaky stalker, but... 

Okay, I couldn’t deny it. 

I admitted it myself, but that didn’t mean Adrien should find out. As a result, as soon as I remembered it I rushed up the stairs which I almost tripped over because I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. I would say it was worth it because I made it without too many scratches. When I had slammed the door, I began to tear all the pictures down from the walls but without ripping them apart, because who could handle ripping such a pretty face over? 

When I was sure that I had every picture in my hands, I opened my biggest closet and threw them all into it. Without wanting them all to fall out again, I hurried to close both doors and sighed in relief while leaning the backside of my head against the doors.

I looked around one more time just to be sure that there was nothing I had forgotten.

With a not so smooth step across the room, I was about to call Adrien. 

Suddenly, I felt a tug on the tip of my hair in one of my pigtails. 

Then, a familiar high-pitched voice said:

"Wait! I don't think you want Adrien to see that picture?"

I turned around and saw Tikki pointing at a picture sticking out from under my keyboard. It was only the tip there was in sight which made sense because if there was more of the picture I could have seen, it would have been the first picture to take away.

I squeaked, stumbled over my feet and was nearly falling into my desk with the head first. I straightened up and slid the picture out from under my keyboard and into my hands. I held it up in the air and felt the heat rush to my face. It was so embarrassing thinking about when I drew all those hearts around Adrien. The picture had red and pink hearts in many different sizes drawn around Adrien’s perfect face. The picture had been taking on a normal school, and you could _almost_ see that it was from my direction. 

Without another glance at the picture, I pushed it between the small space where the doors to the closet closed. Luckily, it fitted perfectly, and my room was “Adrien-free”.

My feet neared my door as I turned around and thanked Tikki for telling me:

"Thanks for telling me, Tikki. I don’t know what I would have done if Adrien saw it." 

She flew up to me and hugged my cheek which made me cup her with my hands.

“Well, you would probably have freaked out.”

Tikki left out a giggle at the end of the sentence. It made a little giggle crawl out of me too.

~o~o~o~o~

After that, I had called Adrien, and everything we talked about made me feel like I was finally getting to know him for real.

Everything which made me stand here frozen. It felt like my thoughts had run free for hours but in reality, it was only two and a half minutes. I stepped out of my trance and walked into the room. 

What I saw was something I never thought I would see. It was Adrien AND my dad laughing. My dad placed his hand on Adrien's upper back in a gentle slap. 

Out of Adrien’s mouth, the words flowed: “And then I said you won’t bread-lieve it!”

He was laughing while saying it which made it funnier than it seemed, but my dad loved it and only laughed more and more. He wiped a few tears away which had appeared from laughing that much. 

“Oh, that was a good one, but I got a better one.” My dad looked very relaxed and comfortable which made no sense because he usually didn’t like boys my age. 

{I think it’s because he thinks they want to date me} But here he was about to make a pun _with_ a boy my age. My dad’s voice rang and interrupted my wondering thoughts. 

“If you lived in a bakery your name would Adri-pain Agreste!” 

Oh. My. God. I left Adrien alone in a bit over two minutes, and now he made puns, and if that wasn’t bad enough he was making puns with my dad! But an honest voice inside told me that it wasn’t bad. No, it wasn’t bad at all, but it brought that familiar thought to mind. That familiar thought that nacked me by saying that Adrien was reminding me of Chat Noir. 

Adrien burst into laughter and received a pat on the back from my dad. If it wasn’t for the different features, I would have thought it was father and son. It was adorable to look at, and it was my dream come true. I had wanted to invite Adrien into our family, and now it seemed like it happened without any of my help. It was magical, but deep inside I knew that it was nothing unusual because Adrien in nature was just likable. It was almost impossible to _not_ like him.

My thoughts were once again interrupted, but this time was by someone calling my name.

“Hey, Marinette! I didn’t know your father liked puns too!”

His voice sounded so excited and in some way childish but not in a bad way, in an adorable way. I began walking closer and closer, but with each step, I took the more nervous I got. I didn’t know what I was most nervous about, the fact that Adrien is reminding me more and more about Chat Noir or that Adrien kissed my cheek a few minutes ago. 

My eyes rose to meet Adrien’s, and the second I did, I regretted it, because his eyes were the incredible dreamy green and brighter than ever. I regretted it because now I knew that I couldn’t take my eyes off them. Not even for a second. 

A smile took place unto my face without me noticing as I replied:

“Hi, Adrien. I had no idea either.” 

Even though I had expected my dad to make puns when Chat Noir came to visit before my dad was akumatized into Weredad. 

“How could you not have noticed? Your father makes the best puns!”

Adrien’s smile reached his eyes as they did when he stepped out of the car every morning and went to school.

“Aw, don’t give me all the credit! I have learned much better puns by you!”

My dad gave Adrien the smile he only gave his family and closest friends. He placed an arm around Adrien’s shoulder and with his hand, he gave it a squeeze. 

They had a lovely moment, and I simply couldn’t do anything else other than watch it.

My dad still had his arm around Adrien’s shoulder when he pulled him into a side hug and asked: " Wouldn't you like to eat dinner with us, son?"

Adrien looked up at him with a surprised expression but his expression changed quickly as he replied excitedly: "I would love to!" 

I thought the most surprising thing for him was that my dad called him son. I knew he didn’t have a close relationship with his father ever since his mother passed away, but if his own father didn’t call him son, I didn’t know what to do. {I could probably pay him a visit as Ladybug and teach him how to act with his son!}

I looked at my dad, and he looked very satisfied with his answer. He let go of Adrien and patted his shoulder as he said: “Great! I’ll go tell Sabine.”

He walked to the doorway for the kitchen and shouted: “Honey, Adrien is eating dinner with us!”

You could hear a response from my mom, sounding something like: “That’s great, Darling! That kid needs to eat more!”

I giggled as silent as I could, but that wasn’t very silent at all. I looked over at Adrien and saw him chuckling too.

Adrien had a big grin formed on his face, and it seemed like it was impossible to pull off.

He turned to me, and the grin only got bigger. I smiled back and wanted so badly to say something before an awkward silence would appear.

“So, is your father okay with you eating here?”

I regretted what I said the moment the words rolled off my tongue. He had finally forgotten all about his problems at home, and I _had_ to destroy that?

“Yeah… Or at least I hope so because I haven’t really called him.” 

What! I looked at Adrien and was slack-jawed. He raised one eyebrow in wonder, and I realized that I didn’t just think ‘what’, I shouted it out loud.

“Sorry, what I meant was-”

My explanation was interrupted before I even got to start explaining. 

“No, you’re right. I usually tell my father everything I do, but seeing how nice your father is, I’m beginning to think that it shouldn’t be like that. I should be free to eat dinner with whoever I want without asking my father for permission. Also, it’s not like he even eats with me.”

He looked me dead-serious in the eyes, but the more he talked the more his head began to fall down. It was like he wasn’t only sad but embarrassed too. The glow in his eyes seemed to disappear as the words fell out between his lips. 

I felt an urge to reach out for him and do everything in my power to comfort him. Without thinking further, I reached out for his chin. I placed his chin in the space between my index finger and thumb. My middle finger holding under his chin, slowly pushing it up. 

“Hey, don’t be sad.” His eyes reached mine as I had lifted his chin. “You’re free to come visit anytime you want, even if you only want to get a bit away from home.” I felt like it wasn’t enough, because there still was a sad glow in his eyes. “And if your father won’t let you, then let me have a little talk with him!” I added a little more confidence in my voice which brought a chuckle from him. 

All of a sudden, I was lifted into the air for a second but ended up in Adrien’s arms a moment after. 

“Thank you.” I heard his voice say, but it was muffled a bit because he had placed his face into my hair. His arms were secure around my lower back, but I felt even more secure in his arms than they were around me. Nervous as I was, I slowly brought my arms around his torso and buried my face into his chest. I felt comfortable like I never had and closed my eyes.

“You really are one to rely on.” His voice continued to stay muffled as he only pushed his face further into my hair. 

“You’re welcome.” My face was facing nothing else than his muscular chest and sounded even more muffled than his voice. 

As the seconds passed, I began noticing all the places our bodies touched. His face with the top of my head, my face with his chest, my arms with his torso and his with mine and even the tips of our shoes touched. The best part of it all was listening to his heartbeat. It was slow and relaxed which made me relax too. After a minute or two we pulled back without leaving our eyes from each other’s forms. We still stood close with not even half a meter between our shoes. This time, I wasn’t even scared that awkward silence would appear, because there already was a comfortable silence. 

Adrien was the first one to say something. It was a small gentle whisper. 

“You always know how to cheer me up.”

His eyes sparkled more than when he was with my dad, and that was when I thought they couldn’t sparkle more. Well, what can I say? It’s not every time you’re right.

“I usually never do anything to cheer you up, and I’m sorry if you sometimes felt like I ignored you because sometimes I felt like I did…” I was embarrassed because before today I had been so nervous around him that I sometimes ignored him. If that wasn’t bad enough, then I could tell you that I even avoided him sometimes too. It was like my feelings for him were so big that if I neared him, then I knew that I would say something about all these feelings inside me. Luckily, it wasn’t like that now. I had learned today that Adrien isn’t flawless, but his flaws made him even more perfect for me. Today, I also learned that I didn’t have to seem perfect to talk or be with him.

“Marinette, you have nothing to be sorry about. I’m sure you had a reason to ignore me. Also, it wasn’t like I tried to talk as much to you as I wanted to.”

Just when my name rolled off his tongue, he reached for my shoulder and brought his face down in my level. His eyes were more open than usual as he looked me in the eyes. 

“That’s the thing, Adrien. There was no reason...” I couldn’t handle seeing the look in his eyes, so I brought mine to the floor. 

“I’m sure there gonna be somethi-”

He continued to try to find an explanation or some sort of reason. I raised my gaze from the floor into his eyes again as I explained.

“No, you’re too perfect to ignore, it was just me-”

He interrupted me exactly like I interrupted him a second ago. His hand was by his side now again.

“Marinette, I’m not perfect.”

This time, his voice wasn’t as gentle and happy. It was more depressing and a tiny piece of bitterness. I didn’t know what came over me, but suddenly I burst out:

“You’re perfect to me!”

There was nothing to remark this time. His mouth was wide open in shock, but soon it turned into a big gentle smile. 

It was very peculiar, and the only thing I could do was hold my hand over my opened mouth. 

“Marinette, you-”

It all seemed to be in slow motion as the words were about to flow out between Adrien’s lips but got interrupted.

“Dinner is ready!”

~o~o~o~

Now, we sat by the table and pretended nothing happened. Even though I had no idea what actually happened, because of the way he smiled could mean that he thought it was a good thing that I thought he was perfect to me. The smile could also be a pity smile, and he would have told me that I was his friend. The thing was that I _didn’t_ know. I had no idea, and it made me frustrated. I could be excited, but I could also be afraid. It all made no sense to me…

As my thought ran loose, Adrien sat in silence, looking like he was wondering too. 

The food was on the table placed in different bowls and plates, but I was only silently eating some vegetables. My mom took one of the plates with grilled chicken and placed it almost in front of Adrien’s face as she asked with such a warming voice:

“Here, Adrien. Wouldn’t you like to try this?”

Adrien’s eyes lit up as he replied: “Yes, please. The food looks delicious!”

He took a grilled chicken from the plate and placed it on his own plate.

“Thank you. I had no idea that we were going to have a guest eating with us, so it wasn’t anything special.”

Adrien was beginning to cut out the chicken as I looked over at my dad as my mom seemed to find good interest in my fellow classmate. He was excitedly watching his wife’s conversation with Adrien. 

Adrien had now cut it and placed it together with some of the vegetables. He took it on the fork and ate it. As he had swallowed it, he replied to my mom’s remark.

“Really? I wouldn’t say that. It looks _and_ tastes even better than the food my personal chefs make!”

His voice was just as excited as the first time he replied.

“Aw thank you, Adrien, you really are a flatterer.”

My mom made a waft with the hand while she spoke, and Adrien could do nothing else than a chuckle to that comment. 

It was now my dad’s turn to speak, or at least that was what _he_ thought. 

"So when did you two start dating?" 

“Seriously?” My inner voice said as I just thought they wouldn’t embarrass me. 

On the outside, I was nervously and embarrassingly blushing from the tips of my ears to my shoulders. Luckily, nobody could see my shoulders, but I could feel that they are burning red. 

I looked over at Adrien who sat next to me. He was almost as crimson as me. 

It wasn’t like we planned it or anything, but in chorus we said:

" D-dad/M-mr. Dupain we ain't d-dating!" 

It was odd because we stumbled over the exact same words.

But what was even odder was that my parents just endearingly sighed as if they didn’t hear both Adrien and I denying that we were together. 

The only thing I could do was look the other away because I didn’t know what else to do. I felt a movement behind me which could only be Adrien, so as curious as I was, I turned around to see if it was him… Which it was. He had leaned a bit in my direction, so then I turned around I bumped my head unto his. 

“Sorry.” We said in chorus once again. I nervously chuckled and saw he did too.

Across the table, my parents sat as if we were zoo animals.

"Aww, those two are made for each other. Just look at them, Sabine!"

My dad was absolutely up in the clouds about this. He sounded like a little child at Christmas. 

"Yeah, they are. But they're teenagers, so it makes sense that they're shy. I think we need to give them a little time."

At least my mom knew the word privacy because it seemed like her husband didn’t. {Better teach him before Adrien comes over again. _If_ he even wants to, now that you two are doing such a good job scaring him away!}

I sneaked a glance at Adrien, and it looked like he was having fun because that smile on his face was impossible to _not_ notice. An incredible feeling started filling up my body from looking at the smile on his face. He was happy. Because of me, he was happy. 

But I couldn’t take all the credit, my parents had also made him happy. I knew that. 

Suddenly, Adrien's phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a twinkling sound which made it easy to notice. I always was curious as I call it, but deep inside I knew that I was a bit more than curious. You could call it stalkerish, but I liked to know what was going on. Especially with Adrien. Without thinking it through, I took a peek over his shoulder. His screen was white with some letters in the middle. Under the letters were a circle that Adrien slid to the side. It was an alarm, I thought. I sharpened my gaze with _almost_ closing my eyelids together. There, I could see the letters. It was “Patr” with two other letters, but they were already gone as I finally could see them. 

That was odd. 

His piano lessons were in about an hour, so why did he have an alarm for now?

I began to wonder which word it would make with two other letters. I started to think it could be patron, but that would be too weird, so I could check that off the list. The only other thing I could think of was patrol, but the question was: “Patrol for what?”

My thoughts got interrupted by Adrien excusing himself: "I’m sorry, but my father contacted me and said he wanted me home.” He pushed the chair out and continued:

“I'm glad that you asked me to eat with you guys. The food was great just like the company!" 

His smile was bright, and his teeth almost too white and shiny.

"You're welcome, son!"

My father added the nickname at the end which only made Adrien’s eyes sparkle.

"You're always welcome in our home, Honey!" 

I had no idea about what was going on with my parents today. They both gave Adrien a nickname, but well, I wanted to make him feel like he had another type of family than the blood kind of family.

"Bye Mr. Dupain and Mrs. Cheng!”

He was now walking to the door as my parents insisted.

“No, please call me Tom/Sabine!” 

My parents were all too friendly, but they always were, so there was nothing to say to that.

“Okay, then bye Tom and Sabine!”

He was retrieved with two big smiles and brought them one back.

Then, he turned in my direction and said:

“See you tomorrow, Marinette!"

His voice was all of a sudden so gentle and warm as I could do nothing else than respond as warm as he did.

"See you tomorrow, Adrien!" 

With the last smile in my direction, he waved and walked out of the door. I wanted to see him out or at least wave him goodbye, so I raised from the chair and excused myself as well. 

As I reached the door, I could see out of the window that there was no car nor Adrien.

How could he disappear out of the blue? 

I didn’t even hear a car start its engine.

What if something happened to him?

Suddenly, a thought came to me. A thought there had been bugging me the whole day.

Was Adrien Chat Noir?

If he was, a lot of things would make sense. It could mean that the alarm was an alarm for patrol because Chat Noir and I had patrol here in some minutes. It would also make sense because Adrien never lies. He never lies, but if it was something he _had_ to lie about.

_Something like a secret identity._


	5. A Not So Usual Patrol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wordcount: 2624

Adrien’s POV 

This day has been one of the best days in a lifetime!

I never knew how much it meant to be in a family, but today I finally felt like I was a part of one. Of course, this day had been confusing too because of all this with Marinette and Ladybug _being_ Marinette. Oh, just thinking about it made me dizzy, but kissing her cheek and hugging her was better than ever. Although it could never beat the fact that I had kissed her lips and not only her cheek. I hated myself for kissing her as Chat Noir and not as Adrien, because everything would be much easier if only had done that. We could go out like normal people and forget all about being superheroes with superhero crushes. But I knew that was never going to happen, because nothing could ever make me forget Ladybug. She was the love of my life after all.

Everything would be much easier if Marinette was Ladybug, and that was what I was going to find out. Yes, I knew that it was highly forbidden to try to figure out each other’s identities, but there was nothing else to do. I couldn’t just stand by and watch myself destroy the only chance of figuring out if the love of my life _was_ the love of my life.

Before my thoughts began really breaking free, I walked into the nearest alley. The alley was dark, but the moon was already out and gave a shine to the now not so dark alley.

A ruffling was heard, and a head as little as a kitten’s stuck out from my shirt. 

It was a grumpy cheese-smelling kwami who I loved to the moon and back for giving me the chance to be free as I always wished for. The small flying black cat flew up to my face and shouted never grumpier than usual:

"Kid, you have to hurry! Ladybug might be waiting for you, and I want this to end as soon as possible, so I can get home to my Camembert!”

Always thinking about his loving cheese and nothing else. It was like when I _finally_ thought he was concerned about me, he was just concerned about that stinky cheese. 

"You're right, Plagg. Wouldn’t dream of letting M’lady wait." 

I just ignored the fact that Plagg was talking about his cheese and began thinking of a certain red and black spotted superhero. I never knew how fast I could become a love sick puppy {or rather kitten}, but today it felt like another kind of love sick. I felt like I was falling more and more in love with all the things Marinette represented. My only wish was for Marinette to be Ladybug. I didn’t even notice that I was sighing dreamy and hopefully.

Plagg’s not so small voice resonated in the alley as he shouted:

“This isn’t about Ladybug! This is about my cheese!” 

His small paws were moving around in wifts like the drama queen he was.

Back to the drama again… 

“Yeah yeah.” I patted his small head which made him cross his arms over his even smaller chest. 

I pushed my hand out in front of me like I was punching someone as a ritual to start my transformation. 

"Plagg! Claws out!"

I said the magical words, and it made my clothes change into the familiar leather.

But it wasn’t only on the outside with my clothing and hairstyle that the magic changed, it was also spraying my personality with some extra confidence.

I was now a whole new person to everyone who would take a look at me.

The alley wasn’t very long away from the place I was supposed to meet Ladybug.

We had a place a few blocks away from the Eiffel Tower where we always met before patrol. With my superhero powers, I was able to jump from long distances which was useful when you wanted to jump unto a rooftop. My feet sat off the ground, and under a second after I was on the closest rooftop. It felt free which made me feel free too. Here jumping from rooftop to rooftop was my happy place. It never failed to make me happy. 

The light from the moon that everyone thought was the moon shining, was in reality the sun shining on the moon which made the moon shine too. That was a concept there never could make me feel anything else than happiness. The sun -which was the biggest and warmest star- was giving the moon -which was cold and nothing else than a big ball with holes- its warmth when the moon was out and needed it. 

I loved to think that everyone could have a sun there that would always give them warmth. 

I loved even more to think that I could be the sun for Ladybug -who might be Marinette-.

Enough about this sickenly romantic poetry as Plagg probably would say. It was time to meet Ladybug and find an end of this confusing mess. 

The closer I got the darker it got, but I knew when I would reach our place, the lights from the Eiffel Tower would light the sight for us.

I had wondered about so many different things that I hadn’t noticed that I had already arrived. The rooftop was small but not too small. There was no railing which made it easy for us to sit and swing our feet from side to side over the street. I was lucky that I wasn’t afraid of heights, because if that were the case, I would never have neared the edge and probably wouldn’t have been a superhero too.

The rooftop was empty which was odd, because Ladybug usually arrived before me. 

I turned around, trying to see if she was hiding, but that would be even stranger. 

Suddenly I saw a shadow. It was a small shadow there moved faster than a shadow should be able to. Then, I saw that it wasn’t just any shadow, it was Ladybug's.

Her big pigtails exposed it, and it brought a little chuckle out of me, because from only seeing her pigtails I knew that it was her. Weird, right? 

In civilian life, I wouldn’t even have recognized my best friend Nino from only his hair style. Well, that wasn’t a good example, because Nino always hid his hair by his cap. 

She was swinging in my direction with her yoyo and landed on the rooftop light as a feather. The feeling there had left me when I walked out of the door after being with Marinette immediately ran through my system once again. She was incredible, and she was walking _incredibly_ close to me. 

With only a bit over a meter distance between us, she greeted:

"Hi, Chat! Sorry for being late. Something came up."

Something came up? Hmm, wonder what that could be. Maybe not just a classmate was eating dinner with you? 

I kneeled down on the straight ground and took her hand gentle into mine. Looking up into her eyes, almost pleading to get permission to kiss her hand. In her eyes, I only saw a glow so sparkling that it couldn’t be anything else than a yes. That glow reminded me of the one Marinette had in her eyes after I had hugged her. Marinette, please be Ladybug, I pleaded right before my lips made contact with her covered hand. 

I held her hand for a little longer, just to see her reaction. It was like nothing I had expected. She didn’t show any signs to take her hand back or tell me to let go.

This was an opportunity that I never thought would come, so I was _not_ going to waste it. 

I placed my other hand on hers and as result, I could caress her hand with both mine.

"Don't apologize, M'lady. I’m sure it was something important, and it's fine, you're here now." Without noticing, my voice was sweet as sugar and smooth as honey. 

The girl there stood across me took one of my hands and held it with her own. Now, we had one hand to one hand, instead of both mine on one of hers. It felt like she was accepting _this_ , but the question was: “What was this?”

Even though our costumes covered almost our whole body, I could still feel the warmth from her being. Her voice interrupted my small daydream. 

"Thanks, Kitty. Let's start patrolling."

 _That_ nickname… Oh, it was perfect or almost perfect, because my absolute favorite nickname was _my_ kitty. 

"Sure, Bugaboo." I replied, trying to see if the nickname she never seemed to like was for her liking now. I looked down and saw that beautiful smile. She accepted that too.

It was odd. Something was definitely off. Ladybug would never even approach me like that unless something was _really_ off. 

~o~o~o~

There had been no signs of akumas when I patrolled in my part of the city which gave me time to think about what was going on. When we had gone separately to start patrolling, Ladybug wasn’t the one to let go of my hands as I had expected. The more I thought about it the more confused I got. All of a sudden I was standing on the same rooftop again. I must have been faster than usual because Ladybug was nowhere in sight, and she was always finished first. I took the opportunity to get my thoughts settled. Leaned down and took place on the edge of the roof. I swayed my legs slowly from side to the side. 

I was glad. I truly was, but… I didn’t know why there was an emptiness taking over my body.

No! I told myself. I should be happy. Ladybug was paying attention to me like I always wished for. She was… Incredible. Automatic, a smile formed on my lips and warmth filled up the emptiness. 

There, I sat smiling while swaying my legs from side to side when Ladybug’s feet landed on the rooftop and began walking in my direction. She slid down in the place beside me as I turned around to take a look at her. Oh no, my face was extremely close to hers. Too close, I told myself. I was as close as Tarzan was to Jane the first time the met. Even though this time the girl wasn’t frightened. She was oddly comfortable.

Ladybug never liked when I got into her personal space, and _this_ had broken through the personal space wall a long way ago. This was through the wall, and if there was a space for being _right up your face_ , this was it. 

I searched for her eyes and saw a shy but comfortable expression in them. 

"M'lady.” My voice had never been more gentle as her nickname slid out between my lips.

“Chaton.” The sound of her voice was even sweeter before, or maybe it was because I was _this_ close that it sounded sweeter. 

“Can you stay a little longer?”

This voice there came out of my mouth didn’t even sound like mine. It sounded sweet, calm, and it might also have sounded shy.

“Y-yes, I have time.” I could feel the nervousness not only from her stutter but also from the way her breathing changed. It was almost as if she was snapping for air. 

With the small ten centimeters between us, I could both hear and feel her breathing. 

“Am I too close?” I wanted to be sure about this. If she said yes I would immediately back away and apologize {for probably everything I have ever done}.

“No…” Her eyes were still connected with me, but they began to sway to the side as she whispered so quietly that it was almost impossible to hear. It was only because of the tiny space between us that I heard her words: “You could come closer,” It was a silent wish that I had waited my whole life to fulfill, “if you would like of cou-” the rest of her words were swallowed as I claimed her lips as if they already were mine. 

My eyes fluttered closed the moment my lips collided with hers and my right hand cupped the lower part of her cheek there was slowly turning red. A rush ran through my body as I expected her to pull away, but instead she pulled me closer. We held it for a few seconds before our lips began to move in perfect sync, slowly and cautiously.

Fireworks began to explode inside of me, and all my worries disappeared. Her eyes had fluttered shut, and in the darkness she might have seen explosions too. It was a wave of warmth that filled me up, spilling out from my heart and the warmth of Ladybug’s lips on mine and rushing to every corner of my body. 

I could only think of her and how sweet and soft her lips felt against mine. 

Nothing else filled my mind. Only her. Her hands there slowly trailed their path from my back to my neck where they began to tug the hair I probably should have cut a long time ago. The side of her thigh there touched mine which made a tickling feeling rush up my body. Her mouth there gasped as I moved my arms to her waist, pulling her impossibly close. 

She needed air and so did I. As perfect as the kiss was, we had to break it. 

But there was one thing I was sure of, if we didn't need air, I could have kissed her all day. 

Our lips disconnected, but every other part of our bodies didn’t. I tilted my head back up straight as I placed my forehead gentle against hers. None of us opened our eyes as we panted, almost snapped for air. The magical feeling from the touch of her lips was the same as the one I had yesterday with Marinette. 

Our lips fitted just like puzzle pieces…

Nothing felt more magical than that.

But if Marinette wasn't Ladybug, had I kissed two people two days in a row? 

Two different people? 

No, Marinette had to be Ladybug. Both their features and personalities were perfectly alike. 

This couldn't be a coincidence anymore.

With the foreheads and eyelids connected a few seconds, I leaned back and over to her ear. I was still catching my breath which made the whole thing more wild and way more sensual than it should. "Is there any possibility that you might be the girl that helped me with Evillustrator?" I locked my arms closer around her waist and pulled my mouth closer to her ear while I heavily breathed and whispered: “Are you Marinette?”

She froze which made me withdraw to catch her gaze. She was staring at me like I was a ghost. 

"M'lady, are you okay?" 

She was still frozen which made me start to shake her shoulders slightly. She slowly came to herself and shook her head.

"C-Chat, how did you find out?"

Her voice was small and sounded afraid. 

"Well, it's kind of obvious, now that I think about it. But in the beginning, I was totally blind. I mean how could you two not be the same. You're both beautiful, smart, kind, brave and so pure.” I tilted my head like she did as she looked away. Shy, embarrassed or still overwhelmed? 

My head was tilted the same angle as hers while I took her face in both my hands and turned her face to my direction. 

_“Marinette… Now that I’m already started I have something to confess.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today I watched Tarzan for the first time, and yes I know it's weird to never have watched it as child, but I'm getting bullied enough by my friends about not have watched many disney movies, so don't judge! I have watched it now!


	6. The Winner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wordcount: 3039

Marinette’s POV

_  
  
_

At this very moment, I was breathless once again. My brain was still disconnected and in no condition to think straight. Nothing made sense at this moment. The earth was still turning, but it felt like it didn’t.

_ This better be a dream!  _ I screamed internally.

No, this shouldn’t be a dream either, because that would mean I was dreaming about kissing Chat Noir. This was wrong. I knew it! 

Was he really that irresistible?

Because from what I had thought, it wasn’t normal to go around and kiss the same guy two days in a row  _ without  _ having feelings for him. Well, I would have gone with that if it was the case, but sadly I  _ knew  _ I had feelings for him. I could check that reason off the list… 

Oh! Now, I knew why I was upset about it! 

It was because I still didn’t know for sure that Chat Noir was Adrien. Of course, I had those many small signs there confirmed my theory, but I shouldn’t do anything reckless like asking him, because / _ what if/  _ he wasn't Adrien. Everything would go lost if he wasn’t Adrien. I had shown Chat Noir here tonight that I was changing my opinion about him, and maybe we could have something more?

Though, I was really confused and had no idea how it happened. First, I let Chat Noir kiss my hand, then called me Bugaboo and now kissed… What was happening?

“You wanted to kiss him.” My inner voice told me in a hoarse whisper. The whisper was like a call for me to wake up. 

_ Wake up, Marinette.  _

Wake up, open your eyes and see what there is right in front of you. 

“That’s what you have been wanting for quite a while now.” The voice in my head continued. It was. True. 

I had been wanting to do that. Not since I knew he was a good kisser -an incredible kisser- when he kissed me as Marinette. But ever since I found out that I had kissed him while fighting Oblivio, I wanted to feel it. It wasn’t good enough to just know that I kissed him. I  _ had _ to feel his lips pressed against mine to figure out why we kissed on top of the Tour Montparnasse. 

Or that was at least the thing I had told myself. 

Deep down inside, I knew that I had feelings for him, but there was always Adrien. There still was, but if there was only one little chance for Chat Noir to be Adrien, I would gladly take it. He was the love of my life after all... 

My thoughts were wild and loose as the reality was quiet and still. One moment I was patrolling the north side of my beautiful city Paris. The other moment, I had been feeling myself leaning closer and closer, whispering that I wanted a kiss from the partner there only was a gap away. Before the words got to float out of my mouth, my lips were captured in the sweetest kiss. Both electricity and fireworks ran from my tippy toes to the tips of my ears. It was all over my body and soul. It was sweet and careful at first as if he wanted to be sure that I was down for this as much as he was. My body couldn’t move which made him doubtful about my feelings and my want for this. He was about to back down and apologize for his actions, I could feel it. His lips weren’t moving, and his eyelids were just about to disconnect again. 

But then out of the blue, I reached behind him and wrapped my arms around his back like my lips wrapped around his. I was on fire, and nothing could cool me down. I pressed my lips against his, waiting for the response I wanted. It came and made me happier than the thought of life tomorrow. His lips weren’t slowing down, but you couldn’t see me complaining. The only thing I did was give back in the dynamic. His arms had moved to my waist and locked around it as my hands slowly made their path up his back. Hmm, his back was a bit too muscular for 15 years old, but it was perfect. He was perfect. 

I followed his movements by feeling the way he softly pulled my upper lip under his. It was like when I cut off my sense of sight, I got an extra ability to feel. It was double so sharp, and I could feel every little movement of his lips, his hands, and even the way his thigh slowly moved closer into my space. 

“Air!” My inner voice shouted and interrupted the perfect, sweet silence. 

“I NEED AIR!” It appeared again and as annoying as it was, the voice was right. I needed air, but if I didn’t, I would never have stopped kissing him.

My hands stayed where they were, locked -more secure than the Agreste security system- around his neck as we both pulled back, panting for air. 

Feeling sort of overwhelmed, I leaned my forehead against his for support. His skin was warm against mine, and it felt surreal to feel his skin against mine when we always had the costumes to cover. All of a sudden I felt him move which made my eyes open in wonder. 

What was he doing, and why was he leaning behind me? 

I was wrong there. He didn’t lean behind me but over to my ear where he whispered:

"Is there any possibility that you might be the girl that helped me with Evillustrator?"

My pupils dilated in surprise while I sucked in a breath. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t have figured out my identity. He shouldn’t!

“Are you Marinette?”

But he did… And the only thing I could do was freeze. There I sat completely frozen and unable to have a movement while my only thought was "No" Countless times. Many millions… 

"M'lady, are you okay?" He was still using the nickname, even after finding out who I really am. How could I have been so reckless and let him find out my real identity? 

My eyes were looking at him as if he was a ghost, and my body was stuck in the same position as a minute ago. Frozen but still warmer than one of the sunniest summer days. The boy across reached over and shook my shoulders gently and only two to three times. 

I / _ needed/  _ to pull myself together, I told myself while trying to get out of the frozen position. I couldn’t, so I used my little fragile voice instead.

"C-Chat, how did you find out?"

I tried to talk as calmly as ever, but it was difficult, and I failed just like I failed the last physics test. My voice didn’t even sound like my usual confident superhero voice. The voice full of courage and hope was gone, and the only thing left was a small, fragile and afraid voice. 

I couldn’t bring myself to look at him, not when he could only take one glance at me and look through my soul. It was scary, and I was afraid of it...

He still had his arms around my sides, but this time he loosened his grip as if he didn’t know whether his hands were placed in too  _ much _ place or not. His sweet, gentle and strangely calm voice said softer than ever: "Well, it's kind of obvious, now that I think about it. But in the beginning, I was totally blind. I mean how could you two not be the same. You're both beautiful, smart, kind, brave and so pure." 

His confession came as a shock because this wasn’t what I had expected, but what could say? I didn’t know what I had expected.

I still looked away from him as his hands came up to cup my face. They were oddly warm through the costume, and my face fitted perfectly in them. Soon, his warm voice appeared again as he caught my gaze. 

“Marinette… Now that I’m already started I have something to confess.”

My eyes focused on him as I could see that he struggled to find the words.

He cleared his throat like he was going to give a speech and looked deeper into my eyes, into my soul.

"M'lady. Princess. I have many different nicknames for you, but you’re still the same and-” His eyes there had used so much power on trying to catch mine, were now closed as he sucked in a breath. They opened again with a whole new level of power. “-and I love you with and without the mask, and I've always had.” Oh, the glow in his eyes was irresistible and I felt myself catching my breath over his words. He loved me… Even now that he knew I was Marinette, he still loved me. He really was incredible. 

“Even when I didn't know your identity, I could tell I liked you, but I tried to deny it so many times, because. Well, I felt like I was cheating on my feelings for you as Ladybug…” 

His hands weren’t just cupping my face now, they were both caressing my cheeks in slow movements, up and down the side of my lip. If this wasn’t a serious conversation, I bet that I would have laughed. 

“I felt so guilty because I thought I was in love with two people.”

All movements around us stopped. The earth stopped turning, and the wind blew.

Did I just hear that he said he was in love with me? Marinette?

“In-in love?”

I stumbled over my words as I tried to make him confirm what he just said. He loved me, but was in love? That was a whole new level. 

He moved closer and wrapped his arms around my back, pulling me into his embrace while nodding with a smile planted across his face.

“Yep, I’m in love with you.” 

His voice was so confident and sounded like he was no doubt, but how was that possible?

I could feel my eyes began to tear up, but it wasn't because I was either sad or mad. I was simply so incredibly very happy. All the sweet things he said about me were beginning to overwhelm me, and the biggest reason why I was tearing up was that he thought those things about Marinette, not some superhero in a spotted costume. He didn't / _ only/ _ like me as Ladybug but also as Marinette. 

"Why are you so sweet? God, now I'm crying..." I thought out loud, because who would have thought that such a nice and… Just the perfect boy wasn’t an anime character?

When I realized that I said it out loud, a red blush covered my cheeks as I tried to explain myself without luck. 

"Oh..I didn't realize I said that…” I sucked in a breath and was about to wipe the tear away, but Chat Noir was faster. He leaned with his head back to look at my face, only to take one of the hands off my waist and wipe the tear away. Once again, he was extremely close, and the silence filled the air. 

Again again, he was the first one to break it. 

“Now that I know your identity, can you de-transform?” He looked like he thought about adding something to maybe convince me. “Your kwami must be exhausted too.” 

He looked down at me and formed a big smile with the lips. His request was a bit cute and mixing it with his mellow and delightful voice, there was no way for me to refuse. 

“Sure, I also have some macaroons for her if I had to de-transform on the way home.”

As I spoke he leaned back out of my personal space that he had been in the whole night.

“That’s thoughtful…” He whispered more silently than any of his words that night. I called my de-transformation words and my little black-spotted kwami flew out of my earring. She looked around, reloading the surroundings and trying to understand the situation. 

All of a sudden she dilated her pupils and flew in the light’s speed up to Chat Noir’s face.

“Hi! I’m Tikki, the kwami of creation!”

She reached out for him with her paw like she wanted to give him a hand as a human greeting. 

“Hi. I’m Chat Noir, but you probably already knew that.” 

He shook her little paw with his index and thumb finger while he introduced himself just like she did seconds ago. 

My kwami left out a sweet giggle of his remark before flying down into my purse where her dearest macaroons laid.

~o~o~o~

“What do we do now?” The question we all had waited for but ever dared to ask, was now the question there floated out between my lips. 

We were standing up again and had moved away from the edge because he was the only one with superpowers now. 

“I’m not sure, but…” His hands were at his sides, nervously fidgeting with the zippers of his pockets. His gaze was no longer on me but resting on the ground in front of our feet.

“But I want to show you who I am.” He raised his gaze from the ground to meet my eyes. The look in his eyes was intense. Seriously, he could have killed someone with laser eyes if that was the case. 

“Are you sure it’s safe?” It was the only excuse that came to mind, because no matter how much I wanted to find out if I was right about him being Adrien. I was still scared if he wasn’t and what a disappointment it would be for me. I knew it wasn’t right to think and believe that way, but I would be lying if I said that I would be happy no matter who Chat Noir turned out to be. I wanted both Adrien and Chat Noir. They were both perfect for me and that was why I was so concerned about Chat Noir  _ not _ being Adrien. 

“Princess, you shouldn’t be worrying about safety now when we already have / _ half/ _ figured out each other’s identities.”

His voice was a little teaseful now as he said ‘half’.

“I guess you’re right.” There was nothing else to do. I had no excuses left. I was  _ doomed _ . 

“Okay, Plagg, Claws in!"

His de-transformation words were said in a half shout half normal voice as I saw a flash which made me close my eyes. 

I still had my eyes closed while a pair of hands found mine in the dark. This time there was no leather to cover his skin. It was only him, and I was afraid. Stupidly afraid. You see, I had lost all my courage and confidence while he said the magical words. 

“Marinette…” He whispered my name in the dark night. He whispered my name like it was a prayer. Like his life was depending on it.

“Y-yes?” I stumbled over my words again without having any control over it. 

The air in front of my face changed, and I felt something move closer. It was a hand. It was now caressing the right side of my lip to my cheek. 

“Open your eyes.”

His voice was small but powerful the most gentle way. Thinking about it made me confused. 

I slowly opened my left eye and then my right. The air was knocked out of my lunges from taking the first glance at him.

There right in front of me, Adrien was standing in the exact same spot Chat Noir stood a few minutes ago. 

"A-Adrien?"

My voice was fooling with me again, but it didn’t matter. All there matters was that I was the winner. I had won, and no one could deny that. I had won the only game that I had ever wanted to win this much.

"Marinette, is it okay? Or had you expected someone els-"

I  _ had _ to interrupt him. It was his own fault. He shouldn’t be thinking that I was expecting someone else when I had  _ wished _ for him to be Chat Noir.

“NO! You're perfect!"

I jumped up and wrapped my arms around his neck, almost slamming him down in my height. This was the second time today that I had called him perfect, but I would call him perfect from now on and to my death day if that was that it took to make him realize it. 

He scooped me into his embrace. Arms locked securely on my lower back and his neck into my hair. Sweet, nice but silent, he said:

"You’re also perfect for me, Bugaboo."

His words meant the world for me, and I only pulled him closer.

“Hey, did you know that you made me so confused when you kissed me right after I told you I had a crush on you as Adrien?”

I looked up into his eyes as I playful tugged the long hair on his neck.

“Umm, oops?”

He tried to look as innocent as possible, but it didn’t work on me anymore. 

“That’s the only thing you got to say to that?”

I leaned a bit back by the support from his neck I dragged him with me. 

“Yep!”

He said proudly as ever. 

__  
  


~o~o~o~

That day was an unforgettable one. It was the day we looked back at, at least one year where we celebrated and told each other happy anniversary. Thinking back to it, I think it went something like this:

Standing with only a gap between our shoes, we looked into each other's eyes, and if he hadn’t said anything I would have drowned in his eyes.

"Would you be my girlfriend, so I could call you M'lady and mean it?"

He had placed my hands into his and looked through my deepest secrets.

"YES- I mean…” I cleared my throat and replied again. “I would love to."

Everything about these two days wasn’t like the usual, but it was real and I loved it for that. _Most importantly I loved him._


	7. Epilogue

Adrien’s POV

Now it’s been 5 years ago that we revealed and it has been the most amazing year of my life. Now we're 19 years old and still deliriously in love.  
I still remember every little detail of the nights from then I stole her first kiss and she stole mine, to the night I ask her to be my girlfriend. I thought it was the best moments in my life, but Mari and I create great moments all the time. Tonight I have something to ask her again.  
I need to find a good way to ask her. After all, it's a big question.  
So I ask my kwami, because my best bud Nino is on a date with his fiance Alya, and I don't want to interrupt them.

"Hey, Plagg! How should I ask Marinette the question, I have been talking a bit about lately?"  
"First let's get this straight, you have not been talking A BIT about it, you have been talking A LOT about it. And you know I don't know anything about love, only my love for my Camembert. So I can't help you. Ask someone else. Maybe Tikki, she knows her very well, so yeah, go find her!"  
"Fine, fine! I find her!"

I walked over to the Dupain-Cheng Bakery. Mr. Dupain let me in, he never lets other boys in to see Marinette, other than me of course. But it was kinda hard to convince him, that Marinette was old enough to have a boyfriend, then we just got a couple. Because we were only 14 years old.

I walked up the stairs, and knocked on the door: " M'lady, it's me."  
"You know Kitty, you don't need to knock on the door. Just walk in next time."  
I walked in, closed the door and went up to her, I smirked: "Okay, princess, soooo, if you're just coming out from a shower, I'll walk in? Maybe I should just do that, then I don't have to remove your shirt, then it already is." She went completely crimson red. I loved when she blushed, but I think she can be more red, than this, so. I pulled her hair away from her neck. She has grown her hair, so now it goes 5 inches over the belly button. Then I kissed her neck short, but sweetly.  
Now she was the crimson red, she ever has been.

She shook her head to come from her world and said: " So, is there any special reason for you to come today, or did you just miss teasing me?"  
"Well, I did miss teasing, but mostly just being with you." I winked because I knew she loved then I wink.  
"But there is actually a reason today. I need to talk to Tikki about something, do you know where she is?"  
She crossed her arms over her chest and acted like she was mad.  
"So you didn't come you see me, bad kitty!"  
I leaned closer to her ear.  
"Well, if you wanted some attention, from this hot body, you could just ask."  
I drove my arms down my body and looked deep into her eyes.  
"I'll always come to see you purrincess." I purred.  
"Enough of the flirting, you're showing your Cat noir side"  
"And I know you love then I do." I keep on flirting.  
She blushed and tried to hide it by looking away, but I saw it.

Then she changed the subject: "Tikki, is in the living room eating cookies, I'll show you exactly where."  
"Ok."  
She led me down the stairs and showed me where.  
"Marinette and Adrien?"  
She said my name like a question, maybe because we almost never talk with her then we're together. We did a kwami swap a month or two ago. So I have talked a bit with her.  
"Hi Tikki! Adrien is here to talk to you."  
"Hi Tikki."  
I looked at Marinette and said: "It's not to mean or something, I just need to talk to her alone.."  
"So, now you kicked me out from my own home?"  
She made me a little nervous now because I don't know if she's serious or not.  
"Just kidding! You should have seen your face!" She laughed.  
"It's fine, I'll be in my room."

"So what do you want to talk about, Adrien?"  
I told her about the question, I have been talking about lately and she answered that I know what I have to do and Marinette will love it no matter what.  
So we began planning it. And now everything is perfect.

I asked Marinette to stay at the Eiffel Tower right after patrol and she said, she didn't have better things to do, so why not?  
Now everything was put in place.  
We met up at the Eiffel Tower after patrol.  
"Hello, M'lady! I have missed you."  
I kissed her hand like I now have done in more than 5 years.  
"You just saw me 10 minutes ago, then I patrolled at the northside."  
"But still. This isn't a normal night, so c'mon."  
I didn't let her answer, I dragged her with me to the top.  
"Here is it."  
There were candles on the ranks and Rose petals and the ground. A table was standing in the middle to dinner for two.  
"Please sit down princess."  
I pulled the chair out for her, she nodded and sat down.  
I sat down too and we began to eat and talk. The moment was perfect, we finished eating and I pulled her chair out again and kneeled down on one knee.  
"M'lady, princess, and Marinette you is the most kindness, selfless, lovely, adorable, brave and amazing girl I have known. And love you with all my heart.  
You came into my life you made it the best as ever. I could ask for anything else. Actually one thing more and that is will you make the happiest man in the world and let me call you my wife? Will you marry me?"  
She began to tear up and her word disappeared, but she got herself to say:  
"Y-ye-s Adrien I- w-ill. I-i love y-you t-o-oo."  
It was the only thing I needed to hear.  
I took her by the waist and spun her around in the air.

"I love you soooo much, I always will! Purrincess."

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's a short story, but I wasn't very good at writing at the time. Also I had never written on English before.


End file.
